Six Questions About Canopies

You have probably seen canopies all around you, but have likely never given them much thought. A common sight at gas stations, building entrances, and over toll booths and walkways, canopies serve an important purpose for a wide range of industries: to provide shelter and protection for people, vehicles, and equipment. In today’s blog, learn more about what canopies are used for, what a pre-engineered canopy really is, and why Shelters Direct is your best source for quality pre-engineered steel canopies for any application.

1: What is a Canopy? What is a pre-engineered canopy, and what does pre-engineered mean?

Canopies are basic structures used to provide shelter and protection. Whether it’s vehicles, people, or equipment that need protection from the elements, a canopy will provide shelter at your facility. Our canopies are manufactured from steel, ensuring they are strong and rigid.

“Pre-engineered” means the majority of the canopy is designed for you in advance. The canopy is welded off-site and delivered in pieces for assembly at your facility. Our canopies are designed as a bolt-together system, so putting them together at your facility is much like building with an erector set (on a much larger scale, of course!). One of the many reasons pre-engineered canopies are so popular is their high cost-effectiveness.

2: What purposes do canopies serve, and what are their most popular uses?

A canopy is incredibly useful for protecting the equipment it houses and shielding employees and visitors from the elements. Because they offer shelter from rain, snow, hail, and other adverse weather conditions, they provide crucial protection for vehicles, people, equipment, and other assets. Any sensitive equipment that should not be exposed to the elements should be sheltered by a canopy, whether it is a gas pump, ATM, or toll booth.

Canopies are useful in a wide variety of applications and are fabricated specifically for their intended use. Whether you require shelter for smoking, equipment storage, vehicle inspection, walkways, loading docks, toll booths, or just about any other application, Shelters Direct has the expertise to supply and install the right canopy for the job.

A few of the most popular uses for canopies include:

• Access Control Points
  When you need to control vehicle traffic at a facility entrance, a canopy is often an important consideration. Whether a stop is needed to check IDs or paperwork, the right canopy will protect visitors, employees, and vehicles and provide a trusted level of security. At Shelters Direct, we have supplied canopies for a wide variety of industries, including the military, government, municipalities, and Fortune 500 companies.
• Military Entrances
  Military entrances require strict protocols to prevent breaches, and the right entrance canopy can help keep any government facility secure. We can provide canopies that meet Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection requirements per UFC 4-022-01.
• Vehicle and Truck Inspections
  A high-quality steel canopy can protect against the elements during truck and vehicle inspections. Our durable pre-engineered canopies are ideal for this purpose and will protect inspectors and drivers from inclement weather.
• Fuel Islands
  Pre-engineered steel canopies are ideal for fueling facilities, protecting both equipment and customers. In addition to providing protection from the elements, steel canopies help prevent stormwater runoff, protecting the environment from harmful, often dangerous pollutants. Our canopies can be customized to meet your facility’s needs.
• Toll Booth Plazas
  Canopies are often a necessity for toll booth applications. They provide drivers with protection from rain, sleet, hail, and snow, and ensure that money and tickets can be exchanged without interference from the elements. Whether a canopy is needed for a highway toll booth or the entrance to a state park, Shelters Direct can supply the ideal model for the purpose.

3: How are canopies constructed?

Because our models are pre-engineered, no on-site welding is required, and once the pieces are delivered, all that is required is straightforward bolting together of all the components. Delivery and installation are simple and streamlined, and by trusting an experienced company like Shelters Direct, you can be assured the job will be done efficiently and correctly.

4: What are the benefits of putting a canopy together on-site?

By offering pre-engineered canopies, we can ensure that no hot work is required on-site and that installation will be a smooth, simple process. For facilities that store flammable materials and chemicals on-site, the absence of welding is an important safety benefit of pre-engineered models.

Another benefit of pre-engineered canopies is that they are fabricated in a controlled environment, which helps manage costs and prevents unexpected issues from slowing the process. This means it is an extremely cost-effective method that won’t risk going over budget.

5: What are the standard features of a canopy?

A standard canopy includes not only the steel structure but also a complete design of the footer system to ensure the shelter is properly anchored and can withstand the environmental impacts it will be subjected to. Anchor bolts are included and shipped to the job site in advance to ensure a streamlined installation process. We also provide a complete canopy design to ensure your canopy meets the specific needs of your facility. A standard canopy will include P.E. stamps, drawings, and calculations; a choice of ASTM round or square columns; maintenance-free ACM fascia; and interlocking deck pans. The canopy’s decking will be finished with polyester paint, baked over an epoxy primer to ensure long-lasting results. Finally, your canopy will include a drainage system using internal or external drains and gutters as needed.

By providing a comprehensive canopy solution, we can ensure that your shelter is durable and built to last.

6: What canopy options are available?

The canopies we offer can be customized in a variety of ways to provide the perfect solution to your facility’s needs. A mansard roof (also known as a French or curb roof) can be chosen for the height of your canopy. If your canopy will be constructed on uneven terrain, we can design it to incorporate footer elevations for stability. Our canopies are standard with standing-seam gable and hip roof assemblies, constructed from your choice of metal.

Another useful canopy option is adding LED lighting. This can be installed underneath the canopy. This is an especially important consideration if your canopy will house critical equipment or shelter a walkway, as proper lighting is a critical safety concern. Internal electrical access conduits can also be installed if required.

With all these options available, Shelters Direct can create a customized canopy tailored to your facility’s specific needs. No matter what purpose your canopy serves, Shelters Direct can design and install a canopy that meets all your business’s needs.